It’s been four years since Immortal Technique’s last album, the critically acclaimed ‘Revolutionary Vol. 2′. Fans across the world have been longing for new material and in 2008 that time has arrived.
June 24th will see the release of ‘3rd World’.
The buzz around the album is already at a high with the release of three singles and the awesome freestyle on DJ Green Lantern’s Sirius Satellite show.
The album has production from Green Lantern, Southpaw, Buckwild and Scram Jones on this album and guest spots from Crooked I, Ras Kass, Diabolic and Chino XL. While we’ve been treated to ‘Bin Laden’ and Akir’s ‘Treason’ and Joell Ortiz’s ‘Modern Day Slavery, which both saw Immortal Technique guest feature on, his fans (or revolutionaries) across the world have been patiently waiting for a full-length album.
Now just to tickle the taste buds, the artist has released three tracks.
3rd World
DJ Green Lantern produces the title track and does a fantastic job. The last time these two worked together was on ‘Bin Laden’ featuring Mos Def and Eminem while the remix saw legends KRS One and Chuck D feature. Green and Tech seem to have a great chemistry and fans will not be disappointed with this track.
From the start of the track, the flute melody gives its a South American feel, which immediately gets your head bopping. In this track Technique is explaining the 3rd World he lives in and he doesn’t waste time.
Immortal Technique - 3rd World (Produced by Green Lantern)
‘I’m from where diamonds are ripped from the earth, right next to the slave castle where the water is cursed … where police brutality isn’t half as nice and makes the hood in America look like paradise … I’m from where they lost the true meaning of the Koran because Heroin isn’t compatible with Islam’.
The second verse sees Immortal Technique dip into English and Spanish. It’s an amazing verse from the bi-lingual MC and like in the golden age of Hip Hop, you have to rewind the track to truly understand the artist’s rhyme and each time you hear it, it blows you away.
‘I’m from where they overthrow Democratic leaders, not for the people but for the Wall Street Journal readers, from where Blacks, indigenous peoples and Asians were once slaves to Caucasians and its amazing how they train them to be racist against themselves in a place they were raised in … destroyed our culture and said you civilized us’.
The artist from start to finish dominates the track with his energy and dictates the rhythm of the song. Green’s production complements Technique’s fierce delivery and like KRS One and Chuck D before him, Tech’s syncopation and articulation is immense.
Payback
The track begins with horns and a sample simply saying: ‘Pay you back, I want to pay you back’. From that moment on, you’re drawn in.
After listening to commendable verses from Diabolic and Ras Kass. They compliment the track well and it’s clear to see why Tech chooses these two artists. Kass gets political on the track (‘51% of the world bank is owned by the US Treasury, robbing third world countries of equity’).
Immortal Technique - Payback
The beats creates a feel of anticipation and after two quality verses….
Its what we’ve all waited to hear, the main event, Immortal Technique and he doesn’t disappoint. The MC shows his humorous side. ‘My style is Francis Ford Coppolla rhyming’ and later ‘I give back to the poor, I give a last name to every son of a whore’.
But most importantly, Technique makes a bold statement. ‘I make rap about lyrics, not beats and marketing’. This is a statement of intent. Here the artist is telling listeners that no matter the change in sound, you’ll only hear whatever he wants you to hear and there’s no compromise.
And finally he leaves the track with a message for George Bush.
Reverse Pimpology
The track starts off with a lush soul sample rich in sound. It sounds like a track from Jay-Z’s American Gangster album. While it’s a sound that a lot of Tech fans wont be used to, they wont be disappointed by the lyricism and the flow.
Immortal Technique is the people’s voice. He rhymes for those who have faced injustice and this track is about how various people get out done and the hook superbly illustrates this. ‘This is where the pimps get pimped and playa’s get played, beautiful women get cheated on and gangster sprayed’.
In stark contrast to 3rd World, where the artist dictates the songs rhythm, in Reverse Pimpology, Technique almost flows with the track and demonstrates a great deal of swag.
Immortal Technique - Reverse Pimpology
The sound signals the evolution of the artist’s sound. It provides a welcome change to the harsh booming horns of ‘Payback’ and importantly shows the diversity of Tech’s music.
Mojo who features on this track displays his vocal range and helps to break up the track very well. This song has a more conventional structure with 3 verses and hooks.
Tech’s flow as always is immense. For each track, he manages to entice the listener to his lyrics. He reminds readers that despite the sound, he ‘aint a crack rapper …aint a backpacker … not a wack rapper, moonlighting as a bad actor’.
Third World is one of the most anticipated albums of this year. From the sound of this trilogy of singles, fans will not be disappointed. Expect realness, expect knowledge and most of all expect Hip Hop in its purest form.
June 24th – 3rd World – Support Real Hip Hop.
Bonus
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